Clarification Needed

[Mephistopheles]

From http://guide.uo.com/skill_33.html

"If noticed in an attempt to steal, the guards may be called on you,"

I've found that this is almost never the case on SA.

I'll see the message:
"You notice X attemping to steal"

And then I'll spam Guards and nothing will ever happen.

That doesn't seem right...

[MatronDeWinter]

"If noticed in an attempt to steal, the guards may be called on you,"

may
Pronunciation: \ˈmā\
Function: verbal auxiliary
2—used in auxiliary function to express a wish or desire especially in prayer, imprecation, or benediction

[ArchaicSubrosa]

I think in this event invincible guards that pop out of nowhere to kill someone for stealing is taking the fun out of stealing and should result in a persuit on foot until the culprit turns blue again forcing the theif to use his hide and stealth skills. Still keeping the instakill but allowing the guards to yell out "...someone stop that criminal." If someone kills the theif they should get fame and karma.
Also, if you see someone stealing you should be able to have a command to target the culprit to have the guards called upon them in said fashion. That's only with stealing not when someone just takes a swipe at an innocent.

[MatronDeWinter]

I think in this event invincible guards that pop out of nowhere to kill someone for stealing is taking the fun out of stealing and should result in a persuit on foot until the culprit turns blue again forcing the theif to use his hide and stealth skills. Still keeping the instakill but allowing the guards to yell out "...someone stop that criminal." If someone kills the theif they should get fame and karma.
Also, if you see someone stealing you should be able to have a command to target the culprit to have the guards called upon them in said fashion. That's only with stealing not when someone just takes a swipe at an innocent.

You used to be able to outrun the guards for a short time on the production shards. It made stealing completely easy. There should be instant-death if your caught, the only problem I have is with Players calling guards on criminals that are NOT in their line of sight. It is Line of sight based, not screen wide...

[ArchaicSubrosa]

I am in agreement with that.

[Kaivan]

The fact that a thief may or may not have had guards called on them is expressly a function of who sees them. If any NPC sees a player steal something, they should always immediately call guards and guards should never fail to come. However, if only players see the thief steal, then any response from the guards is a function of whether the players call for the guards before the timer for calling guards on the player has expired or not.

[Derrick]

Also, the steal must be a criminal act. If you're witnessing someone stealing from their pack horse, the guards will not come.

[Mephistopheles]

Okay, so if I'm on the left wall of the WBB and then I "notice" somebody trying to steal from a player and they're against the top wall, which is out of my "line of sight", I'd have to run up and call GUARDS within 15 seconds for that player to be whacked, correct?

If this is the case, then how did I ever notice the crime to begin with?

[Mr.T]

you can only notice if you are in line of sight im pretty sure

[Mephistopheles]

I'll post a photo next time I notice somebody stealing and call guards to no avail.

When it states that the guards "may" be called on you it doesn't imply a "They might show up if they're not eating donuts right then", it simply means that they can be.